A rebuilt title basically means that the car was totaled. Sometimes the damage is very fixable, other times it is not. To get the title, the rebuilder has to send in before and after pictures to the state so you should be able to get a copy of the picture of the car before it was fixed. I have a truck with a rebuilt title that I have been driving for almost 10 years and it has a few rattles but is fine. It used to be that the value of a rebuilt was loan value or less after repaired. The other down side is that a bank will not loan money on it. Even if you pay cash for the car, when the day comes to sell it - it will be more difficult. Tote the note lots sell alot of them for full retail because they are doing the financing and the customer usually doesn't know enough to ask questions like you do.If you keep a car as long as I do, its resale value is based on its weight, thus the title is not an issue. If you want to trade every couple of years you will take a bath even if the repairs are good.

Most of the time cars with rebuilt titles are safe themselves. But like said before. YOU CAN NOT RESALE THESE CARS FOR MUCH AT ALL. if you are planing on keeping the car till it falls apart then fine. But if you like to trade every few years. Don't buy a car with a rebuilt title.

As styated above, Car fax is not perfect. The question is who reports to car fax. As an example, If I run my car into a tree and fix it with no insurance company involved, I will not notify anyone. It is also the insurance company that declares a car totaled. If they are not involved it will still have a clean title because the state was never notified.

most of the times care with rebuilt titles are rebuilt with aftermarket parts and done as cheep as possible so they can make money you get what you pay for my advice is to take car to someone who knows about cars to look at vehicle they have a better eye to spot the problems you cannot see

My son's 1995 Nissan Sentra car belonged to his mom, was 11 years old, and was worth only about $1500.

It was insured with only Liability and Uninsured Motorist.

Over a period of 6 weeks, it was first broadsided by an old man who ran a Stop Sign.

His insurance company fixed it.

About a month later, a girl who stole her ex-husband's unlicensed and uninsured pick up truck, that had no working brakes, parked the truck on a hill. After she left the truck on the hill, it rolled down into a parking lot, running into and damaging about 4 cars and SUVS. My son's car was one of them with damage to the rear end.

The car was "totaled" by the insurance company. The insurance company paid to have it repaired since it was insured with uninsured motorists.

The car was worth more to my son since he couldn't afford to get a new car and the only "damage" done to the car had been dented door panels, rear fenders and trunk. It was still mechanically sound so it was fixed even though we had to get the Rebuilt Title from the state.From the state, you get a little metal plate to put on the car's door jab that lets people know it has been totaled out.

The car is still running fine after being on the road for 16 years, gets great gas mileage (34 mpg), and is still sound.

Would I buy a car with a rebuilt title? Most likely not unless I personally knew the former owner and the history of the car.

A rebuilt title basically means that the car was totaled. Sometimes the damage is very fixable, other times it is not. To get the title, the rebuilder has to send in before and after pictures to the state so you should be able to get a copy of the picture of the car before it was fixed. I have a truck with a rebuilt title that I have been driving for almost 10 years and it has a few rattles but is fine. It used to be that the value of a rebuilt was loan value or less after repaired. The other down side is that a bank will not loan money on it. Even if you pay cash for the car, when the day comes to sell it - it will be more difficult. Tote the note lots sell alot of them for full retail because they are doing the financing and the customer usually doesn't know enough to ask questions like you do.If you keep a car as long as I do, its resale value is based on its weight, thus the title is not an issue. If you want to trade every couple of years you will take a bath even if the repairs are good.

The person that rebuilds the car has to submit before and after pictures and a parts list to the state to get a title. Good luck getting a copy of those pictures from the state. To cover my butt, I had extra pictures and required a customer to sign the pictures at the time of purchase. The objective was to protect me from them coming back later claiming fraud.Short of this documentation, you have to trust the seller. I would strongly recommend an inspection from an independent source. Just because the reason for it being totaled may be an expensive but light hit in the front end (air bags) doesn't mean that it may not have also been hit hard in the back in a previous wreck that the seller does not know about. All the risk falls on you. That is why you are getting it cheap.My data was from the late 90's, your mileage may vary.

what about a new car with only 1100 miles on it? car dealer says it was hit in the door and the door was completely replaced but now it has a rebuilt title...should I run or consider it?

Make sure you do a carfax.

A lot of salvage titles are for cars which came out of the East Coast floods last winter, and even though are 'new,' have a ton of salt water damage that can easily be hidden.

Also, if it was a simple "door" accident, then te only way it would be 'totaled' by the insurance comp. is if it had frame damage...have a good frame shop take a look to see if has been properly straightened and if the tire alignment will work out.

<quoted text>Make sure you do a carfax.A lot of salvage titles are for cars which came out of the East Coast floods last winter, and even though are 'new,' have a ton of salt water damage that can easily be hidden.Also, if it was a simple "door" accident, then te only way it would be 'totaled' by the insurance comp. is if it had frame damage...have a good frame shop take a look to see if has been properly straightened and if the tire alignment will work out.Good luck!

ok thank you very much!! usually I run if it says that, but with it being a 2013 I was curious! thanks a bunch!!

I'd be curious if you can fully insure a totaled vehicle/rebuilt title. From past experience of having two vehicles totaled the insurance company that paid the claim picked up the cars. Not sure where they are taken to. But I'd want my investment insured fully not just state mandated insurance.

I'd be curious if you can fully insure a totaled vehicle/rebuilt title. From past experience of having two vehicles totaled the insurance company that paid the claim picked up the cars. Not sure where they are taken to. But I'd want my investment insured fully not just state mandated insurance.

When the insurance co pays off the claim, they own the car. They then usually take the car to an auction where it is sold. The buyer buys it for parts or to re-build. You can certainly get liability insurance on a re-built but may have a problem getting collision. I think it is for that reason that most banks will not loan money on a car with a re-built title.

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